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Aerts S, Calderon C, Valič B, Maslanyj M, Addison D, Mee T, Goiceanu C, Verloock L, Van den Bossche M, Gajšek P, Vermeulen R, Röösli M, Cardis E, Martens L, Joseph W. Measurements of intermediate-frequency electric and magnetic fields in households. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 154:160-170. [PMID: 28086101 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Historically, assessment of human exposure to electric and magnetic fields has focused on the extremely-low-frequency (ELF) and radiofrequency (RF) ranges. However, research on the typically emitted fields in the intermediate-frequency (IF) range (300Hz to 1MHz) as well as potential effects of IF fields on the human body remains limited, although the range of household appliances with electrical components working in the IF range has grown significantly (e.g., induction cookers and compact fluorescent lighting). In this study, an extensive measurement survey was performed on the levels of electric and magnetic fields in the IF range typically present in residences as well as emitted by a wide range of household appliances under real-life circumstances. Using spot measurements, residential IF field levels were found to be generally low, while the use of certain appliances at close distance (20cm) may result in a relatively high exposure. Overall, appliance emissions contained either harmonic signals, with fundamental frequencies between 6kHz and 300kHz, which were sometimes accompanied by regions in the IF spectrum of rather noisy, elevated field strengths, or much more capricious spectra, dominated by 50Hz harmonics emanating far in the IF domain. The maximum peak field strengths recorded at 20cm were 41.5V/m and 2.7A/m, both from induction cookers. Finally, none of the appliance emissions in the IF range exceeded the exposure summation rules recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC 62233) standard at 20cm and beyond (maximum exposure quotients EQE 1.0 and EQH 0.13).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Aerts
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, iGent, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 15, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Carolina Calderon
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Blaž Valič
- Institute of Non-Ionizing Radiation (INIS), Pohorskega bataljona 215, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Myron Maslanyj
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Darren Addison
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Terry Mee
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Cristian Goiceanu
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Leen Verloock
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, iGent, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 15, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Matthias Van den Bossche
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, iGent, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 15, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Gajšek
- Institute of Non-Ionizing Radiation (INIS), Pohorskega bataljona 215, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3508 Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Röösli
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elisabeth Cardis
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luc Martens
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, iGent, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 15, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Joseph
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, iGent, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 15, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
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Van Den Bossche M, Verloock L, Aerts S, Joseph W, Martens L. In situ exposure assessment of intermediate frequency fields of diverse devices. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2015; 164:252-264. [PMID: 25125596 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncu257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In this study, in situ exposure assessment of both electric and magnetic fields of different intermediate frequency (IF) sources is investigated. The authors investigated smart boards and touchscreens, energy-saving bulbs, fluorescent lamps, a portable hearing unit and an electrosurgical unit (ESU). For most of these sources, the electric field is the dominating quantity. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection reference levels are exceeded for touchscreens (44 kHz: up to 155.7 V m(-1) at 5 cm), energy-saving bulbs (38-52 kHz: up to 117.3 V m(-1)), fluorescent lamps (52 kHz: up to 471 V m(-1) at 5 cm) and ESUs (up to 920 kHz: 792 V m(-1) at 0.5 cm). Magnetic field strengths up to 1.8 and 10.5 A m(-1) were measured close to the ESU and portable hearing unit (69 V m(-1)), respectively. Large differences of measured field values exist among the various operating modes of the IF equipment. Compliance distances for general public range from 15.3 cm (touchscreen) to 25 cm (fluorescent lamps).
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Van Den Bossche
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, Gaston Crommenlaan 8, Box 201, Ghent B-9050, Belgium
| | - Leen Verloock
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, Gaston Crommenlaan 8, Box 201, Ghent B-9050, Belgium
| | - Sam Aerts
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, Gaston Crommenlaan 8, Box 201, Ghent B-9050, Belgium
| | - Wout Joseph
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, Gaston Crommenlaan 8, Box 201, Ghent B-9050, Belgium
| | - Luc Martens
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/iMinds, Gaston Crommenlaan 8, Box 201, Ghent B-9050, Belgium
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